Senior Designer, Combat

When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what’s next…

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

The creative team that brought Mortal Kombat and Injustice to life is now NetherRealm Studios, part of the Warner Bros. Games family. With over 20 years of creation under our belts, NetherRealm’s mission remains the same: to create cutting edge entertainment and deliver industry leading tech, game art and overall gaming experiences. NetherRealm Studios is a collaborative and creative environment, constantly striving to up the ante on what is possible in interactive entertainment. Our team is comprised of dedicated professionals with years of experience who are at the forefront of the gaming industry. The passion and energy that made Mortal Kombat a reality is still on display every day in our offices, our hallways and most definitely the studio’s arcade room.

The Senior Combat Designer will be responsible for significant contributions to game design with a focus on combat, moment-to-moment gameplay, and character implementation. Alongside Lead and fellow Designers, the Senior Combat Designer is expected to implement and maintain combat-centric systems, game balance, and character tuning.

• Establishes and maintains design documentation for combat gameplay and systems.
• Designs and builds game experiences, including implementation of characters and their navigation, combat move sets, and moment to moment gameplay.
• Works closely with art teams to collaborate on and help define all associated visual elements.
• Iterate with gameplay teams to drive the implementation of character combat with the highest degree of polish.
• Analyze and incorporate user feedback from usability tests.
• Works with personnel on R&D efforts for new game systems and creates playable prototypes as required.

• 6+ years game design experience required.
• Shipped at least 2 titles with a strong emphasis in combat design and implementation.
• Direct experience in implementing combat mechanics (with a preference on melee-based combat) on at least 2 shipped titles.
• Strong programming or scripting knowledge and experience required.
• B.A. degree preferred or equivalent job experiences.
• Ability to work well under pressure and with deadlines.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Strong passion for action and fighting games with a focus on combat mechanics.
• Positive attitude and collaborative approach to problem solving.

This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.

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